Cordovado
The province of Pordenone: a fascinating and varied territory
The province of Pordenone was one of the four provinces in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, known for its fascinating and varied geography. It bordered the Carnia to the north and northeast, the province of Udine to the east, and the Venetian provinces of Belluno, Treviso, and Venice to the west and south.
Although the province did not have access to the Adriatic Sea like the other provinces in the region, it had a very interesting and diverse terrain, including parts of the Carnic Prealps, the hills, and the Friulian plain. From a climatic point of view, the Piancavallo station was of great interest in the southern area of the Venetian Prealps.
The wonderful valleys and surprising water resources of the province
Among the most striking mountainous areas of the province were the Val d'Arzino, Val Cosa, Val Tramontina, Val Colvera, Val Cellina, Val Cimoliana, Val Settimana, Valle del Vajont, and Val Zemola, each with their own distinctive landscape.
But not only were the valleys a natural resource of great value. The province boasted a large number of watercourses, including the Tagliamento River, Livenza, Cellina, Meduna, and Noncello. There were also numerous lakes such as Lake Barcis, Lake Ravedis, Lake dei Tramonti, Lake Ca 'Selva, Lake Ca' Zul, and Lake del Vajont.
The importance of parks and reserves for flora and fauna
The province of Pordenone was an excellent destination for nature and environment lovers. There were numerous areas of protection of great interest such as the Magredi of San Quirino, the Sequals Peat Bog, the Anduins Sulphurous Springs, the Green Caves of Pradis, the Campone Caves, the Friulian Dolomites Natural Park, the Prescudin Forest Nature Reserve, and the Cellina Gorge Nature Reserve.
Within these reserves, numerous animal and plant species could be observed, which represented a unique and important heritage. Among these were wild orchid blooms, foxes, hares, marmots, eagles, and many other animals.
Its history: from district to establishment as province
The province of Pordenone was established in 1968 by splitting from the province of Udine, and its capital was the city of Pordenone. It was one of the districts created with the 1964 law within the province of Udine.
An interesting fact about the history of the province concerns its automotive code. Initially, the planned code for the province was PO, but the secretary of the municipal council of Prato (who was looking for a code with the name of his city) had to ask the city of Pordenone to change the code. Thus, the code PN which we know today, acronym for ''Portus Naonis'', was adopted to replace the original code.
The suppression of the province
The province of Pordenone ceased to exist on September 30, 2017, when it was abolished as a local authority. However, some of its structures and functions were inherited by the regional decentralization entity of Pordenone. Furthermore, the province is still classified by the National Institute of Statistics as a "non-administrative territorial unit above the municipal level," and remains as a subdivision of state administrations in the territory.
In summary, the province of Pordenone represented a fascinating and diverse area from a geographical point of view, with a large number of natural and environmental resources. Its suppression as a local authority, however, has not ended the importance of its territory.
